Capítulo 28: Chapter 28
Alex wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, still trembling from what he had just seen in Victor's mind. The cold couldn't suppress the knot of disgust in his stomach. He could still hear the laughter, the muffled screams, and the echo of despair that ruled that man's mind.
"You..." Alex looked up, angry, staring directly into Victor's eyes. "You don't deserve to call yourself human. What you do... what you are..." The words came out harsh, filled with a mixture of rage and disgust that he couldn't hold back.
Victor, far from being affected by Alex's comment, laughed with a twisted smile.
"So, you were able to read my memories, huh?" he said, mocking. The other two men also started chuckling as if what had just happened was a joke to them. "Tell me, did you like what you saw? Did you find it interesting? Because I assure you, kid, that's just the beginning of what awaits you in this world."
Alex felt his body tense, the anger rising inside him. The other two men kept laughing, looking at Alex with a mix of disdain and mockery, as if they saw him as a spoiled child who had never seen the true face of the world.
"You have no idea what it takes to survive, do you?" said one of the men with a mocking tone. Victor smiled, confident that his intimidation had worked.
Just then, a deep sound began to rumble in the air, something heavy approaching quickly. The three men stopped laughing, their expressions hardening as they heard the noise. It was a sound they didn't recognize, something that didn't belong in this frozen, desolate environment.
Alex was still on the ground, fighting against the nausea and disgust he couldn't control. Then, he felt the presence of something familiar. **Vela.** The dinosaur, with her massive, muscular figure, was approaching heavily, and each of her steps echoed in the cold air. **Her claws left deep tracks in the snow**, and her body, covered in feathers that swayed with the wind, cast a terrifying shadow as she drew near.
Victor and the other two men turned toward the sound, and their faces shifted from mockery to absolute terror. **Vela, nearly three meters tall, walked slowly toward them, her eyes gleaming with dangerous intelligence.** Her appearance was that of a predator perfectly adapted to hunting in a wild world, and the men knew it. To them, at that moment, there was no difference between Vela and any other nightmare creature that might exist in this ravaged world.
"What... what the hell is that?" one of the men stammered, stepping back instinctively.
**Vela tilted her head, her eyes fixed on the three men.** She seemed to be evaluating them, moving with an unsettling calm, almost as if she enjoyed the fear she was causing. The men retreated a little more, but they knew they couldn't run. They were handcuffed and disarmed, helpless in front of the creature slowly closing in on them.
Alex, still kneeling on the ground, felt Vela's presence approaching and looked up. **Vela was right in front of him, watching him with her piercing eyes.** Alex swallowed hard, and in an impulse, he vomited again. **The dinosaur, as if understanding, tilted her head toward her master in concern,** letting out a soft, uneasy growl.
**The three men watched the scene with their hearts in their throats.** With each passing second, their breathing grew more erratic, their eyes wide as the massive predator slowly circled them. The air around them felt thick, loaded with tension.
Vela, seemingly unsatisfied with Alex's condition, turned her attention to the three prisoners. **She approached them with slow, calculated steps,** her breath visible in the cold air as she sniffed them like a predator stalking its prey. **The men dared not move.** One of them was so paralyzed with fear that he collapsed to his knees, trembling uncontrollably.
**Vela growled softly, baring her sharp teeth.** Her intent was clear: these men were not welcome near her master. With one more step, the creature lowered her head toward the man in the center, as if deciding what to do with him. The man tried to back away, but the handcuffs on his wrists forced him to stay put.
**Alex took a deep breath, trying to regain control of himself.** He knew Vela was doing her job, protecting him, but these men were still necessary. He still needed information from them.
"Vela, no!" Alex exclaimed, raising a weak hand toward the creature. **Vela stopped immediately, turning her head toward him,** but her posture remained tense, ready to attack at any moment.
Alex exhaled, his muscles still trembling from the effort. "They're... they're necessary. We can't eliminate them yet." His voice sounded weak but firm.
**Vela understood.** With one final threatening growl toward the men, she stepped back, positioning herself behind Alex. Her gaze remained fixed on the prisoners, as if warning them that any false move would mean their end.
The three men seemed to have lost their breath. One of them was visibly trembling, while another tried to maintain his composure. Victor, for his part, kept a defiant expression, though his eyes betrayed the fear he felt standing in front of such an imposing creature.
Alex, despite everything, **knew it wasn't over.** **There was more he needed to discover,** and these men could still give him the information he needed. He stood up, swaying slightly, and turned to the next man. **The terror in his eyes was evident,** and for a moment, Alex almost felt compassion. But then he remembered what he had seen in Victor's mind. **These men didn't deserve his compassion.**
"Your turn," Alex said coldly as he placed his hand on the next prisoner's head.
**The man shuddered at the contact.** He could feel Vela's presence behind Alex, watching his every move, ready to act if necessary. **The fear in his mind was present in every thought,** and when Alex began to read, the images didn't take long to surface.
**Once again, the man's mind was a chaotic mess of fragmented memories.** Alex had to focus more this time, arranging the pieces like a distorted puzzle. As the images began to take shape, he saw scenes similar to those he had found in Victor's mind. **The same brutal, dehumanizing environment, the same atrocious acts.**
The man's responses were confused and fragmented. At times, he was unable to articulate a coherent answer, trapped in his own fear. **But Alex was able to get what he needed: information about the faction's location.**
As the man spoke between gasps, Alex continued digging, though with less aggression than with Victor. **The memories were equally disturbing, but this time, Alex knew how to control them.** He knew how far to go without being dragged back into the abyss of despair.
When he finally finished, **Alex withdrew his hand,** exhaling deeply. He had what he needed.
Alex settled into the tractor's seat, the cold still creeping through his clothes despite the thick protection he wore. Vela remained behind, watching over the three prisoners, who were still kneeling, terrified by her presence. Alex sighed; he had no desire to keep looking at them.
Inside the tractor, the tension eased a bit. The sound of the engines and systems running filled the space, creating a low hum that, for a few moments, helped calm Alex's mind. However, the images of the memories he had seen still lingered, disturbing his thoughts.
"Ariel," he finally said, breaking the silence that had settled, "you can access my memories, right?"
Ariel, as always, responded calmly. "Correct, Alex. I can access them to help you process the information."
"Then let's do it," Alex said, leaning back in the seat. "I need you to help me analyze what I just saw."
Ariel nodded on the tractor's screen, and together they began to reconstruct the story. The memories of the men started to flow, blending with the fragments Alex had captured, painting a clearer picture of what had really happened in the city.
"It all began when the cold arrived," Ariel began. "The city was fine at first, people continued with their normal lives, and despite the temperatures starting to drop, there were no signs that the winter would become so extreme. The residents stayed in their homes, trusting that the local government and services would function as usual."
Alex nodded, remembering how the beginning of winter had been at his own farm. Everything seemed manageable at first, but then the storm worsened.
"However, when the cold intensified, things changed drastically," Ariel continued. "The roads quickly became snow-covered, blocking all routes out of the city. Vehicles started failing, freezing in a matter of hours. Electrical systems collapsed, and little by little, the city became isolated. With no communication with the outside world and no resources, people began to panic."
Alex frowned, imagining the chaos that must have erupted at that moment. The desperation of the residents when they realized they couldn't leave, that they were trapped in a city growing more hostile by the day.
"The local government acted quickly and set up shelters," Ariel explained. "One of the largest was the city's main shelter, which housed thousands of people. The police handled security, and during the first few weeks, everything seemed under control. Despite the cold and lack of resources, the city managed to survive."
"So what went
wrong?" Alex asked.
Ariel continued, "The first signs of collapse coincided with the release of your video. People realized the winter wasn't normal, that the world was changing irreversibly. At that time, one of the prisoners awakened an unusual ability: the power to manipulate metal. This ability allowed him to take control of several installations, including the city's weapons depot. He used his power to unlock access to weapons and ammunition, giving him a decisive advantage."
Alex closed his eyes, feeling a weight in his chest. He knew his video had had an impact, but not in this way. He never thought something like this could happen. "My video... what I told them... made everything fall apart faster," he murmured.
"It may have accelerated the process," Ariel admitted, not softening the truth. "The revelation that humanity was facing such a radical change caused panic. Power groups within the shelter began fighting over resources, resulting in the formation of factions. The faction of prisoners took control of part of the city, while other groups tried to maintain order."
"So, everything fell apart because of fear and ambition?" Alex rubbed his hands, feeling the cold even inside the vehicle. "Because of me..."
Ariel didn't respond immediately. The guilt Alex felt wasn't irrational, but neither was it entirely fair. "Your video didn't cause the city's downfall. It simply provided information that people weren't prepared to process properly. The structural problems already existed. The lack of resources, the isolation... all of that would have happened eventually."
"But they didn't know what I knew," Alex insisted, with a lump in his throat. "I showed them what was coming, and instead of preparing, they fell into chaos."
The silence between them grew heavier.
Ariel finally spoke, "Humans tend to react unpredictably under pressure. The factions that formed were the result of leaders taking advantage of desperation. The prisoner who controlled metal was just one of those leaders. Others took advantage of their previous status, such as the businessmen and politicians who remained in the city. Most of the population was dragged along by the lack of direction and uncertainty. However, the mutated animals also contributed to the chaos."
"Animals?" Alex felt the topic was diverting him a bit from his guilt, but he was still processing the information.
"Yes. Rats, cats, dogs, and other smaller animals began mutating more aggressively within the city. The presence of Omega particles in the environment affected local animals, making them more dangerous. This forced the factions to not only fight among themselves but also to confront the mutated animals that began infesting the city."
Alex sighed deeply, remembering how many times he had warned people about the Omega particles in his video. He had believed the information would help people protect themselves, prepare. But the truth was that, in many cases, it had sown fear, and with fear came anarchy.
"Those animals... those people... all the conflicts. Everything got out of control so quickly," Alex said, his voice weighed down by guilt.
"It was inevitable, Alex," Ariel said. "The world was changing at a pace no one could control. Your video was a necessary warning. The issue is that people aren't always ready to handle the truth."
Alex clenched his fists, staring into the frozen horizon. "But that's not what I wanted. I just wanted people to know what was happening, to prepare for what was coming. I never wanted it to turn into this... a war for survival."
"Survival is what drives people in times of crisis," Ariel continued. "You can't control how they react. And while your message was meant to help, it's not always possible to predict the impact it will have on everyone."
Alex couldn't shake the weight of his own words. He knew Ariel was partly right, but that didn't make him feel any better. How many lives had been lost? How many people were suffering because of that chain of events he had unintentionally set in motion?
"Maybe you're right," Alex murmured, head lowered. "But I still feel responsible. If I hadn't made that video..."
"If you hadn't, the collapse would have happened anyway. Maybe later, maybe in a different way. But it would have happened."
Ariel, with her cold and efficient logic, had tried to ease Alex's guilt. But Alex knew it wasn't that simple. He couldn't undo what had been done, and while the world might have fallen regardless, he couldn't help but feel like he had set something in motion that he couldn't control.
With one last sigh, Alex let his thoughts settle, trying to reconcile his guilt with Ariel's logic. But he knew the weight would remain, at least for a while.
"You're right. Let's revise the narrative and give more depth to the explanation of the prisoners' leader and his origin."
________________________________________
Alex leaned back in the tractor seat, staring out the window while his thoughts kept flowing. The guilt wouldn't leave him. Ariel had tried to justify what had happened, arguing that the collapse of the city was inevitable, but that didn't lift the weight off his shoulders. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the images he had pulled from the memories of the three men. The violence, the chaos, the misery... and it had all started after his video went viral.
"All of this... it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't uploaded that video, Ariel," he murmured, eyes lost in the snow-covered horizon.
"Alex, I've already told you that the collapse of the city was inevitable. The circumstances, the lack of resources, the isolation... People reacted the way they did because they were under extreme pressure. Even without your warning, these factions would have formed eventually."
Alex nodded, but he still wasn't entirely convinced. "Maybe, but I can't help but think about how many people died or were hurt because of me. I lit the spark."
Ariel paused, as if carefully considering her response. "You can't change what happened, but what you can do is take what you've learned and act in a way that benefits others in the future. There's no point in dwelling on what you can't control."
Alex clenched his fists. Ariel's logic was clear, but he wasn't an AI. He couldn't simply dismiss his emotions. "I know, Ariel. I know... But when you see things like I've seen in the minds of those men, it's not that easy."
Ariel didn't respond, and the silence inside the vehicle felt heavy. Alex knew that Ariel understood his suffering in an objective way, but she would never comprehend it on an emotional level. That made him feel alone, even in the company of such an advanced AI.
"Tell me more about the factions," Alex asked, breaking the silence. "Those guys' memories were centered on their faction, the prisoners. But what do we know about the others?"
Ariel projected a series of images on the tractor's screen, extracted from the memories of the men they had captured. "The prisoners' faction is the most violent. It was formed under the leadership of a man named Marek, an ex-convict who was freed when the chaos broke out. Marek developed a unique ability—the power to manipulate metal through the creation of magnetic fields. It was that ability that allowed him to dominate the other prisoners and take control of his faction."
"Marek..." Alex murmured, recalling the images from the memories. "And how did he manage to take control of everything?"
"The prisoners took advantage of the initial confusion. When temperatures started to drop and the city was cut off by snow, the local prison lost power. People, in their desperation, decided to release some prisoners to help maintain order and do heavy labor. It was a decision that soon went wrong. Marek, with his newly acquired ability, took control of the group of prisoners and began recruiting more followers. They seized an ammunition depot, giving them the military power needed to establish their dominance."
"And the weapons? How did they get so much firepower?" Alex asked, frowning.
"According to the memories, the ammunition depot was located near the prison. It had been frozen over and inaccessible to others, but Marek used his ability to open it. Since then, his faction has been armed and in constant conflict with the other two."
Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So, with his ability to control metal, he can manipulate anything metallic, like weapons, vehicles...?"
"Exactly. His ability isn't limited to small or light metals. According to the memories, Marek has shown he can manipulate large metal structures, like gates or beams, to build improvised defenses or weapons during battles. However, his power has a limit. Controlling large amounts of metal exhausts him quickly, and he can't maintain control indefinitely."
"But as long as he has weapons... he's still dangerous," Alex said.
"Indeed. The prisoners have fortified an old government station and turned it into their base. Most of the city fears them, and they aren't the only ones who have taken advantage of the chaos."
"And the other factions?" Alex looked at the images projected on the screen, observing the desolation of the divided city.
"The second group is led by former businessmen and influential people. When the city started to fall, they used their power and money to secure resources. They control a more stable zone within the city, though they're also in constant conflict with the prisoners. They've maintained a hierarchical structure but rely on limited supplies."
"And the third faction..." Alex waited for the answer, as this one seemed the most mysterious.
"They are former politicians and officials who withdrew from the original shelter. They didn't want to get involved in the city's internal conflicts and fortified themselves in a local university. Their faction is the smallest, but they have access to technical knowledge that helps them survive. They don't have many special abilities, but they've managed to stay out of the larger conflicts."
Alex nodded slowly, processing the information. Three factions, each with their own interests, all fighting for the same resources while mutated animals lurked in the shadows.
"So... do you think we could do something to help the people trapped by the prisoners?" Alex asked, his voice filled with doubt. "Maybe, if we get the necessary materials, we could make a difference, right?"
Ariel was direct in her response. "At this moment, it's not feasible. Attacking the prisoners' base or trying to free the people under their control would be too risky. Even with our technology, Marek's abilities make him a significant threat. Additionally, the other factions wouldn't remain idle if they perceived someone intervening. We could end up facing all of them."
Alex gritted his teeth. He knew Ariel was right, but he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility. "But in the future, when we have all the resources we need... could we try?"
Ariel paused before responding. "In the future, with enough resources, we could develop the machinery and technology necessary to face the factions. With time and preparation, we could intervene effectively. But we would need to strengthen our forces, build armored vehicles, and develop specific weapons to neutralize abilities like Marek's."
Alex exhaled, feeling a small spark of hope, though faint. "Good... So, it's not all lost. Maybe, someday, we can do something."
"It's possible," Ariel conceded. "But for now, we must focus on our immediate objectives. We need to ensure the farm is stocked and our forces are prepared for any eventuality."
"Yeah, you're right," Alex replied. He knew that, for now, there wasn't much he could do for the
city. But in the future, with the right resources and preparation, maybe—just maybe—he could redeem himself for the chaos his video had caused.
With one last sigh, Alex nodded, determined to move forward. But the promise of helping the city remained alive, lingering in his mind.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder